Decker
Decker :"A year here and he still dreamed of cyberspace, hope fading nightly. All the speed he took, all the turns he'd taken and the corners he cut in Night City, and he'd still see the matrix in his dreams, bright lattices of logic unfolding across that colourless void... The Sprawl was a long, strange way home now over the Pacific, and he was no Console Man, no cyberspace cowboy. Just another hustler, trying to make it through. But the dreams came on in the Japanese night like livewire voodoo, and he'd cry for it, cry in his sleep, and wake alone in the dark, curled in his capsule in some coffin hotel, hands clawed into the bedslab, temper foam bunched between his fingers, trying to reach the console that wasn't there." ' :''-Neuromancer, William Gibson'' : The Decker is the quintessential hacker, complete with a portable armband computer and a Virtual Reality rig physically connected to their brain. Deckers are in charge of handling digital problems for a team of Shadowrunners. They steal data, turn off camera systems, and forge keycard access so that the rest of the team can handle the physical problems. Basic Build Specialist Basic Build Shop The Matrix and You The Matrix is Shadowrun's version of the internet, but bigger and deeper. In addition to the usual complement of websites, much of the Matrix exists in a virtual 3D space. Users connected to a Virtual Reality set can experience fantastical worlds that feel every bit as real as the physical world. Within the Matrix are several 'grids' or networks. Grids private to corporations are closely guarded, containing many valuable secrets and access to sensitive systems (like defensive turrets). A Decker's role is to break into these grids and subvert them. Cyberwarfare Much of a Decker's job boils down to three simple steps: # Find an access point (usually guarded in the physical world). # Hack into the network (Decking). # Hack a subsystem (data, surveillance, communication, defense systems, etc.) If everything works as planned, a team of Shadowrunners will have easy access for a physical infiltration. But nothing ever goes as planned. Security Decker's have a stat called SP (Security Points) that functions similarly to their HP. SP = '''Decking * 10 Every action a Decker takes inside a secure grid requires a Decking roll. The results of the Decking roll determine whether the hacker succeeds, but also how much SP they lose (even on a successful hack). Thus every action wears down a Decker's defenses. At half SP, a Decker sets off an alarm (similar to an injury for HP). Their future Decking rolls on this network take a -1 penalty. At zero SP, a Decker is forcefully booted off the network and takes severe WP damage from the backlash. Backlash can be, and often is, fatal. Network Level The strength of a network is called it's Network Level. The Network Level determines how high a Decker needs to roll to succeed in a hack, how many SP it will cost, and how much WP damage they will take if booted off. SP damage works the same as HP and WP. SP Damage = (Damage Threshold - Decking) * 5 Spiders Deckers hired to defend grids are called Spiders. They watch for unusual behavior and can attack intruders if detected. Each Decking roll a hacker makes is an opening, allowing the Spider to make a Perception roll. While it's possible to defeat a Spider, it isn't common. The home field advantage means that the Spider won't be affected by alarms (injuries), and will be able to notify physical security that there is an intruder. Sprites Sprites are complex programs employed by Deckers to assist in their efforts. Unlike true A.I., Sprites can only do what they've been programmed to do, but that's often more than enough to make a difference. * Vanguard Sprite (assists in cracking open systems) * Guardian Sprite (defends against traces and network intrusions; reduces the damage from backlash) Examples can be found in the Sprites section.